Top of the page Check Your Symptoms. When you have diabetes , you may have high blood sugar levels hyperglycemia or low blood sugar levels hypoglycemia from time to time. A cold, the flu, or other sudden illness can cause high blood sugar levels.
You will learn to recognize the symptoms and distinguish between high and low blood sugar levels. Insulin and some types of diabetes medicines can cause low blood sugar levels.
Learn how to recognize and manage high and low blood sugar levels. Then you can help avoid levels that can lead to medical emergencies, such as diabetic ketoacidosis or dehydration from high blood sugar levels or loss of consciousness from severe low blood sugar levels. Most high or low blood sugar problems can be managed at home. You just need to follow your doctor's instructions.
You can help avoid blood sugar problems by following your doctor's instructions on the use of insulin or diabetes medicines, diet, and exercise. Home blood sugar testing will help you see if your blood sugar is within your target range.
If you've had very low blood sugar, you may be tempted to let your sugar level run high so that you don't have another low blood sugar problem. But it's so important to keep your blood sugar in your target range. To do this, follow your treatment plan and check your blood sugar regularly.
